No. 4.] INIASSACHUSETTS CROPS. xxxv 



counties than elsewhere. More or less tobacco was caught 

 unharvested. Considerable damage was reported in the 

 market gardens of eastern sections. 



The final report of the season, at the close of the month of 

 October, showed that the corn crop was considerably below 

 the normal in value, owing to damage by drought, frost and 

 rains since harvest. The heavy frosts of the middle of Septem- 

 ber cut the crop short in almost all sections, but do not appear 

 to have done as much damage to the grain as was then antici- 

 pated. For grain, the crop, judged from the returns of the 

 correspondents, roughly averaged, was about three-fourths of 

 a normal crop in value. The ^'alue of the stover seemed to 

 have been diminished somewhat more, perhaps one-third off 

 the normal. Ensilage corn suffered more from frost than that 

 grown for grain, as but few had ensiled their corn when the 

 frosts affected it. There were very few reports of root crops 

 being above the average, and enough of their being below to 

 warrant the conclusion that for the State as a w-hole they were 

 slightly below the average. The heavy rains kept fall feed 

 green and growing up to the time of making returns, and farm 

 stock generally improved in condition during the month. Con- 

 siderably less than the usual amount of fall seeding was done, 

 owing to the dry condition of the ground at the usual time for 

 seeding, and the continuous rains that followed the breaking 

 of the drought. That put in was generally reported as 

 having germinated well, with the rains, and to have come 

 forward in fine style, being in good condition at the time of 

 making reports. 



Prices were generally rather higher than usual, owing to 

 short crops. Potatoes brought particularly high prices, as did 

 also some of the market-garden crops at times. Apples gen- 

 erally brought prices fully up to last year, and in some cases 

 above, owing to the short crop and generally improved qualit}', 

 due to better care and spraying. Prices for tobacco and onions 

 were generally high. Seventy-seven correspondents consider 

 prices to have been higher than usual, 37 average and 6 lower 

 than usual. 



Forty-four corresi)ondents, rather a small number to unite 

 on one leading crop, considered hay to have been among the 



